Bahá'ís of Salem, Oregon

Serving Salem and other communities in Marion and Polk Counties

Welcome to our web site!
We invite you to browse through our pages and explore the Bahá'í Faith and find out about our local activities.
If you find it interesting or have any questions regarding the Faith or our activities please
Contact Us.

That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race.
The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the
peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to
pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world.
The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens. -Bahá’u’lláh

Please Note: The Bahá'í Center is closed due to COVID-19 containment measures.
We will reopen when local and state authorities lift stay-at-home restrictions.
To join any of the local Bahá’í activities listed below, through online gatherings, contact us at 503.362.6645
or email to secretariat@bahaisofsalem.org.
You will be provided with a link to join the session(s) of your interest.

Salem Bahá'í Center at 680 State St.(The entrance door is around the corner on Cottage St. S.E.)

A Healing Prayer:

O God, my God! I beg of Thee by the ocean of Thy healing, and by the splendors of the Daystar of Thy grace, and by
Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue Thy servants, and by the pervasive power of Thy most exalted Word and the potency
of Thy most august Pen, and by Thy mercy that hath preceded the creation of all who are in heaven and on earth, to purge me
with the waters of Thy bounty from every affliction and disorder, and from all weakness and feebleness.
Thou seest, O my Lord, Thy suppliant waiting at the door of Thy bounty, and him who hath set his hopes on Thee clinging to
the cord of Thy generosity. Deny him not, I beseech Thee, the things he seeketh from the ocean of Thy grace and the Daystar
of Thy loving-kindness.
Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. There is none other God save Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. -Bahá’u’lláh

Devotional meetings and other activities in and around Salem

Devotionals

Saturdays:

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. At the Bahá'í Center.

Third Wednesday:(of each month)

5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Prayers for Peace at SE corner of the
Salem Peace Plaza by our commemorative
Bicentennial tree & plaque next to the mural. The Salem Peace Plaza is located in the courtyard between Salem
City Hall and the main public library. This event is co-sponsored by the Association for Communal Harmony.

Bahá'í Fireside

A fireside is an opportunity to learn more about the Bahá'í Faith and ask questions.
A short presentation will be made on an aspect of the Faith. Questions and discussions will follow. All are welcome.

Conversations on Race

"Racism is the most challenging issue confronting America. A nation whose ancestry includes every people on earth, whose
motto is E pluribus unum, whose ideals of freedom under law have inspired millions throughout the world, cannot continue to harbor
prejudice against any racial or ethnic group without betraying itself. Racism is an affront to human dignity, a cause of
hatred and division, a disease that devastates society." -National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, 1991.

Third Sunday:(of each month)

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
We have Conversations on Race, Unity of Mankind and Racism.

Learning Activities

The first in the sequence of courses is called "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit.” It examines spiritual matters
such as prayer, meditation, life and death and the development of the soul;

The second course, "Arising to Serve,” explores the joy of engaging in conversations with others about spiritual ideas
and sharing the Word of God;

Another course, "The Twin Manifestations,” focuses on the lives of the two prophet-founders of the Bahá’í Faith,
the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, and the early history of the Bahá’í Faith.

If you are interested in any of them, please contact us and we will arrange for a class.

Lending Library

Visit our research library, which includes books of Bahá’i scripture, history, biography, as well as the holy writings
and history of other world religions. There are also books written by Bahá’i authors on the application of spiritual
principles to personal and societal problems.

Books are available for your study at the Center during open hours or during any of the activities listed above.
Some of the books may be checked out for the maximum period of one month, one at a time.

*****

Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn
nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men.
Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the
Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth,
and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its
effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise
its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the
Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom. -Bahá’u’lláh

As regards the meaning of Bahá'u'lláh's words regarding love of humanity, the Master [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] often explained
it to mean that man should love his family, then his native town, then his province, then his nation,
but should not stop there and acquire a narrow nationalism, but grow to love the whole-wide world and
mankind at large. Bahá'ís love their country but should also love the world, that is other people.
-Shoghi Effendi (The appointed Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith)